MALVERN, Pa. — Penn State Great Valley will host a community event on Nov. 7 at 7 p.m. featuring author and food historian Becky Libourel Diamond, who will discuss how the American Gilded Age gave rise to a new elevated dining scene throughout the country, from private social clubs and restaurants that became the nexus for business deals to banquet dinners that could make or break a family's societal status.
About the talk: When America entered a period of magnificent wealth following the Civil War, stylish and sophisticated restaurants began popping up in major cities to cater to this new money. Exclusive eating clubs became popular places to socialize and negotiate business deals, and banquet dinners and balls were de rigueur ways to flaunt prosperity and status. It’s time to explore how the Gilded Age forever changed what it meant to dine out in America.
Discover the origins of eating clubs like Philadelphia’s Clover Club and some of their famous foods and drinks, the role of theatrics as an integral part of fine dining, the backstory of famous dishes in the Gilded Age, and more.